Let the Darkness Turn Bright
by kiki.forever
Summary: Nico is a dark and depressed man, and Rachel is a rather lonely Oracle. They have reasonable excuses for being miserable, right? But then their love turns their darkness brighter. Will it last . . .?
1. Chapter 1: That One Special Person

Author's Note: I rated this M for some sexual situations in later chapters. No worries, it's not very graphic. Mild language. An overall decent fan fic. I would've rated it T+, if there were such a thing. The M is really just a procaution. And this is my first fan fic, so please be kind, but give me critical reviews. Like please don't say something like, "I hate this fan fic, and I wanna burn you alive, it's so terrible," or something of that nature. Anyhoo, enjoy readers!

P.S.: I dedicate this fan fic to Kioko, who has opened my eyes to the couple known as Nico and Rachel. Your fics rock my socks, Kioko!

P.S.S.: I do not, nor will I ever, own PJO. It's Rick Riordan's all the way. I'm just borrowing his characters for a little while.

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Nico di Angelo has been a rather dark and depressed boy—from age ten, to throughout his teens, and finally into young adulthood. But this was understandable, considering he was the child of the Greek god, Hades. He only has Percy and Annabeth for best friends, and no offense to them, but he didn't really enjoy watching their blossoming relationship. Especially since he has no love life.

Sure, Nico has had some short relationships, very meaningless ones. Girls ran away, clearly frightened, when he showed them how different he was. A few little sparks of anger that would make even a neglecting father such as Hades proud, some simple shadow traveling, and then they fled away from him like he's some kind of curse.

He's dated girls, kissed them, and that's pretty much about it. He's never had a truly _physical_ relationship. Not that he was searching for that. He was just a lonely, twenty-one-year-old man, who fought and killed monsters as a hobby. It wasn't his favorite activity, but he kind of had no choice. It was either fight or be eaten, and he didn't prefer the latter.

But he saw this one special girl again when he came back from his adventures from the Underworld (at age eighteen), and his darkness turned immensely bright. The shadows seemed to stop clouding his mind—they were still a part of him, but they no longer controlled him. He seemed to be as happy as he was before he found out he was a son of Hades; before his sister, Bianca, died; before he sought to seek revenge with Percy for not bring Bianca back to him (though that hatred was long gone).

Her bright, happy smile, sparkling green eyes, deep red hair, and beautifully freckled skin made his heart stutter erratically. Her fiery personality, tendencies to love passionately, and happy-go-lucky attitude made his stomach flutter.

Her name was Rachel Elizabeth Dare. And he was in love with her.

But of course he hadn't let her know it yet.

They talked all the time, having very easy conversations, and laughed together. It seemed like they were made for one another. He was an outcast, a spawn of Hades, and the boy that everyone was afraid of. After all, it wasn't everyday that you met a man who could call an army of the undead to attack at any given moment.

Rachel Elizabeth Dare was an outcast too, condemned to live in the Big House. Being the one and only virginal Oracle was a very lonely job. And surprisingly, not many people wanted to be around her when her green eyes flashed neon, a powerful glow surrounded her, and her voice changed to the sound of the maiden Delphi.

When Rachel was fifteen, she was quick to agree to swear off men. She was tired of their games, and they never seemed to show her love anyway. Sure, the occasional good-looking guy would flirt with her, and her heart would momentarily flutter, but it hardly mattered. At fifteen, she just couldn't wait to actually fit in with people—even if they were sons and daughters of gods and goddesses—that she didn't even think twice about her commitment to stay pure. She couldn't marry? That was no big deal at the time. But now that she was twenty-five, and she found out that people were still a bit frightened when around her, and she just wanted someone to love.

When that special boy came back from his father's kingdom, the darkness still surrounded her, but yet it had light and life mixed in it. The darkness came from her pain and the boy's pain. It came from her lonely life and his half-blood life—once again, being around the dead all the time could get a bit lonely and dark.

The boy's messy black hair, beautiful and deep dark eyes, olive-like skin, perfectly toned chest, arms, and stomach, and—most importantly—his heart took her breath away. She cherished the slightest touch he gave her. Even if his warm hand simply brushed against hers, she swooned internally. It was a bit strange to remember that his hands use to be ice cold, but she was glad he had learned to control his body temperature.

He was kind, a good listener, funny (quite funny actually considering his blood-line), and had that cute shy-boy attitude that could turn into hell-like death glares within the second; of course he never used those death glares on her, but she was sure they could be quite effective.

His name was Nico di Angelo. And she was in love with him.

She knew she was going against the rules by loving him, but she almost didn't care. Almost. She knew Apollo could turn her into a pile of smoking ashes with a simple flick of his finger, if he found out about Nico. She really didn't think Apollo would do that to his favorite—and only—Oracle, but you never know. Greek gods can be very temperamental. The sky rumbled as she thought that dangerous sentence.

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End of chapter notes: Hope you liked my first chapter! I know it's a bit short; sorry everyone. But Chapter 2 will be up ASAP. Reviews are always appreciated! :)

P.S.: One more thing. I changed the summary a little bit. Not a very important announcement, but the original one was bugging me. So . . . that's it. Thanks for reading! ^-^ My next chapter awaits . . .


	2. Chapter 2: Cheesy Confessions

**A/N: I'm really sorry this wasn't posted sooner. My internet crashed, and I just got it fixed today. I hope you all understand. Oh, and I will probably write about Rachel's emotions the most, because she's, well, a girl like me. So, of course, I connect to girl emotions, and know little about guy emotions. Regardless, I'll try to make this story interesting to both genders.**

**I'd like to thank my wonderful beta, Sophia Supernova. She really helped make this chapter easier to read. She gave me tons of pointers (for example, she let me use some of her phrases, like 'closer than the ocean and its bed'). Sophia, I tip my hat to you. Thank you so much!**

**Enjoy everyone! :)**

**Disclaimer: I wish I created PJO, but I'm not that amazing. These are Rick Riordan's characters!**

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Rachel walked from the Big House over to Nico's obsidian cabin. A skull was nailed above the door, guarding the cabin like a watchdog—a dead watchdog from the looks of it. Green-flamed torches were posted against the dark walls. Most girls would've shuddered delicately before timidly knocking on the door. But Rachel simply grinned at Nico's creativity, absolutely adoring the unique style, and knocked on the door without an ounce of worry.

She thanked the gods that summer had come quickly; Nico was about to go into his last year of college, and it didn't allow her to see him that often. She sighed, remembering her years at college.

Almost immediately he answered the door, and a sense of relief washed over him. He missed her—a lot.

"Hey, Rachel," he smiled brightly, and butterflies in Rachel's stomach fluttered. She greeted him, and walked into the cabin as if she owned the place. Even though the fireplace was glowing and warm, a chill hit her in the face, bringing with it the smell of death—which smelled suspiciously like pomegranates. But she was used to it by now. She sat down in her favorite, comfy black chair near the fire, and curled her legs under her bottom. Nico sat in the opposite chair, gazing at her beautiful face.

For the past few weeks the feelings between them had increased, and they were struggling to keep their love to themselves. Both of them were too scared to admit their feelings; even Rachel, who never seemed afraid of anything.

But the tensions of love between them were strong, and each person felt as if they were rubber bands, stretching and stretching until they felt they would snap. Why couldn't they simply tell each other how they felt? Because they were scared and stubborn.

"Nico?" Rachel called, getting to her feet. Their conversation had come to a halt about ten minutes ago, and they were enjoying each other's company in comfortable silence. Nico was stuck in a daydream, remembering when he first met Rachel at age twelve, had a crush on her, and thought she was kind of pretty. He scoffed silently at the thought of Rachel being 'kind of pretty.' She was gorgeous. Like a goddess. He was too young to realize that at the time, he supposed.

He got back to reality and answered Rachel.

"I—I'm not feeling too good," she moaned. She started to sway on her feet, and Nico swiftly rushed over to her, and placed his hands on her shoulders, trying to steady her. Then she stiffened, and she felt like stone under Nico's hands. He thought he might have gone too far by holding her shoulders, though it seemed a little odd. He'd touched her like that before, and she didn't react like this. Plus, he couldn't have just let her fall to the floor . . .

Rachel jerked her body from under his hands, and slowly turned toward him. Nico gasped. Her eyes were glowing emerald. Green mist filled the room, and Rachel opened her mouth.

"I am the spirit of Delphi, speaker of the prophecies of Phoebus Apollo, slayer of the mighty Python. Approach, seeker, and ask."

Nico froze, a bit shocked. He'd seen Rachel do this several times, but each time he still seemed to be a little bit frightened. But he quickly batted away those feelings, knowing Rachel was still Rachel, and she wouldn't hurt him.

"Well, Nico di Angelo, son of Hades, do you have a question that you seek?" The Oracle stared coldly at him.

"Um," he looked uncomfortably down at the floor, "No, not really."

The Oracle continued to stare at him with that strange look on her face. Then she abruptly sat in Rachel's favorite chair, staring into the flames. At that point Nico started to wonder if the spirit of Delphi had something important to tell him, and if he should ask her something.

Tentatively he tapped her on the shoulder, and the Oracle slowly turned her head in his direction. "Approach, seeker, and ask," she repeated.

Nico cleared his throat, and said in a clear, steady voice, "Is there a future for me and Miss Rachel Elizabeth Dare?" At first he felt silly asking this question, but once it was out of his mouth, he felt a sense of rightness—like this was the question the Oracle was waiting for.

Apparently it was, for she continued.

"_You and a mortal with great sight will confess the emotion._

_You will be confronted by the Delphi's lord, who will forgive or deceive the devotion._

_You will be judged by the god who gave you life, and can easily make you dead._

_And you will choose whether you shall be alone, or wed."_

And with that declaration, Rachel promptly fell to the ground. Nico was completely stunned, and couldn't move his feet to help her up. She stirred on the floor, and weakly lifted her head.

"Nico? Are you okay?" She asked, sounding concerned. The sound of her real voice brought Nico back to his senses.

"I think the real question is are _you_ okay?" Nico replied, still attempting to shake off the shock.

"What do you mean?" She sounded confused. "Did I just sprout a prophecy? I blacked out, and I can't remember."

Nico nodded. "Well," Rachel prompted. "What was it?"

Nico shrugged, and she glared at him. "Tell me."

He sighed, expecting this from a woman like Rachel. "First I want to tell you something," Nico took a deep breath. "Rachel, I've loved you for a long time. I love everything about you: your fiery attitude, your beautiful smile, your sparkly eyes, everything about your personality; your exquisite red hair," he paused to look at her. Her sparkling eyes were shining, tears prickling in them. He smiled shyly and warned, "This next part is going to be really cheesy. Are you ready for this?"

She chuckled and nodded, wiping at her eyes.

"I know you can't be with me, as in you have to be pure and all, and I'm perfectly okay with that. I just want us to be together and love each other. You have really made my darkness very bright, and I want to go out with you." He grinned, as another thought came to his head. "Secretly, of course. We wouldn't have a very fun relationship if we were ashes in little bottles on Apollo's mantle."

Rachel laughed and said, "I've loved you for a long time too, Nico. My speech isn't as cheesy and cliché as yours, but here it goes. I love your kind personality and how you listen to me. I love how you make strong relationships with your friends, and how you always have everyone's back. I love how shy you look right now," she smirked, and they both laughed. "And I'd really like to go out in secret with you." _You and a mortal with great sight will confess the emotion_, Nico thought about the prophecy with a smile.

With each sentence they finished, they inched closer and closer to each other. They were so close that they could feel each others' breath on their faces. Nico leaned his face down to hers and kissed her.

And she kissed him back. One of his hands wound in her long hair, and the other was around her waist, attempting to pull her even closer. She gasped as his tongue ran across her lips, and she shuddered. Rachel's palms became damp, and her hands slipped down his neck. Her heart thumped unsteadily against her chest, and her breath came in heavy gulps. Rachel's mind tumbled with the thoughts of Nico: his warm breath inside her mouth, his muscled figure against her soft body, and his hands in her hair.

She remembered many of the moments they spent together, and wanted to have countless more to come. She gripped Nico closer to her, not willing to let go just yet. He didn't seem ready to release her either.

They were backing up against the small table between their comfy black chairs. He gently lifted her onto the table, and she wrapped her legs around his waist. He hovered over her, placing kisses all over her neck and face. She pulled him on top of her, running her fingers through his dark hair.

She panted, whispering his name, and his kisses became more urgent, moving against her mouth in strange and exciting ways. She couldn't help but think this was a bit crazy, considering they just confessed their feelings a couple of minutes ago. But they'd been in love for nearly three years, without doing a single thing to show that love. These kisses were making up for all the stolen moments.

Slowly their kisses became less hungry and more caressing. His hot mouth trailed from her neck, to her lips again. Nico broke away from Rachel, and carefully lifted her off the table; she had to have a sore back by now. But she didn't care. As soon as her feet touched the ground, she wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him confidently. She hadn't kissed anyone since Percy, and she was doing surprisingly well.

She heard someone gasp, and unfortunately it wasn't Nico. It was Annabeth standing at the door, with her mouth wide open. Rachel and Nico hadn't even heard her come in. And she was still standing there gaping. She'd better be careful, or she might be picking bugs out of her teeth.

"Hey, Annabeth? What's going on?" Rachel heard Percy ask, coming up behind his girlfriend. He looked over Annabeth's shoulder, and froze. And then gaped. Gosh, they were so perfect for each other. And Nico was perfect for _Rachel_. She looked at him again, his hands still wrapped tightly around her waist, pressing them closer than the ocean and its bed.

Percy whistled. "Well, well, well. Looks like a certain couple has been naughty." So much for Nico and Rachel's secret. Ah well.

"It's not naughty," Rachel said indignantly. "It's just kissing. Well, more than that actually, because I really love Nico. But I'm still . . . pure."

Both Annabeth and Percy had gotten over their shock, and Annabeth shrugged, tucking a lock of blond hair behind her ear. "I shouldn't be surprised," she stated. "You two have hung out for three years, trying to hide your feelings." She continued to murmur other ideas and foundings.

Nico had gotten bored of Annabeth's musings, and began to stroke Rachel's beautiful, red hair. Rachel got lost in the depths of his eyes. She whispered, "Annabeth? Percy?"

"Yeah," they replied, curiosity accenting both of their voices.

"Can you please go now?" She asked as politely as she could, while pressing her forehead against Nico's.

"Our pleasure. And don't worry. Your secret's safe with us," Percy said. He and Annabeth smiled and walked out the door, shutting it gently behind them.

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**End of chapter notes: Reviews and critical (yet nice) advice makes me smile. You readers like to make me smile, right? :)**


	3. Chapter 3: Near Death Experiences?

**A/N: I'm so sorry, readers! My internet has been down, and I just got a new router. It's a rather interesting story involving lightning and thunderstorms. If you're interested, check out my profile. :p**

**Anyway, my beta is going through a tough time right now, and she's not able to be my beta anymore. I completely understand going through a rough patch in life, so I don't want to hear any grief from any of you amazing readers. The point is, this story (as well as my other Maximum Ride story "Broken Wing") will be a bit flawed (hey, I'm human), and I desperately need a good beta. Please, please, please . . . can someone help?**

**Oh, and I'm going through a slight style change. Do you notice the bold Author's Note? Or maybe the centered title below? Yup, that's it. Enjoy the changes! Also my bad-ass title wouldn't fit in the main title area, so . . . yeah.**

**Anyhoo, thank you for your patience! I'll try to update extremely fast. As a matter of fact, I will post chapter four today! Enjoy! :D**

**Disclaimer: I am a girl. Rick Riordan is a man. It just doesn't add up. So, therefore, I do not own the Percy Jackson Series.**

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**_Chapter Three: Let's Have Near-Death Experiences, Shall We?_**

"_Di immortals_, Rachel! You're going to get yourself killed! Get down!" Nico shouted up to Rachel, as she continued scrambling up the climbing walls. They shook violently, and lava was seeping through the cracks. Boulders nearly fell on her, but she quickly dodged them before they smashed her to a pulp. Nico gulped, panic racing through his blood; but before he could climb up there and save her, she had already jumped down from the last wall, with a smile on her face.

"What the Hades were you doing up there?" Nico demanded, his heart still pounding with worry. He let his eyes roam up and down her figure, giving her a swift once-over. She seemed to be fine, but she smelled suspiciously like burning clothes.

She saw his scrutinizing and complained, "What?"

He rolled his eyes. "What? What do you mean 'what'? You were the one climbing up the dangerous, shaking, lava-spewing walls!" He sniffed her again, "And why do you smell like you're burning?"

She shifted sheepishly. "Um, the lava kind of charred my shirt." She noticed smoke rolling off her sneakers. "And my shoes are on fire, apparently."

He groaned, taking her elbow, and walking her toward Percy, who was playing with his huge hellhound, Mrs. O'Leary. The mountainous dog perked her ears toward Nico, and ran toward him, licking him from head to toe. She sniffed at him, enjoying the smell of death. Nico gave her a stern, yet loving look, and she obediently sat on her bottom.

Percy was sprawled out on the ground, having being licked to death by Mrs. O'Leary, and glanced up at Nico and Rachel. He noticed her burning shoes.

"Would you do the honors?" Nico said pointedly. Percy nodded, grinned, and then with a lazy flick of his finger, the water from the creek in the woods slowly rose from its bed in a twirling funnel of icy cold water. It lured ominously toward Rachel, and she took a hasty step back.

"Percy," she snapped at the son of Poseidon, backing away from the water. "Don't you dare!"

Percy and Nico chuckled. Then Percy countered, "What, do you want to be on fire?"

Rachel glared at him. "It's just my shoes that are smoking, kelp head!"

Percy made a _tsk-tsk_ sound and the water funneled over her head. "But Miss Dare, it seems you have a very hot, temperamental head. That should be cooled down, don't you think?" And with that statement, the cold water fell onto her head with a splat, soaking Miss Dare to the bone. She pushed the sopping hair from her face, and gave Percy and Nico death glares.

"Hey, that glare is pretty good," Nico commented. "Almost would've worked on me, if I wasn't a child of the god of the dead."

Rachel hissed under her breath, and sauntered toward Nico, taking fierce and deliberate steps in his direction. Her green eyes flashed; her face had a look of rage. And then she pounced.

Nico went tumbling to the ground, surprised by her hidden strength. She pinned him to the ground and sat on his midsection, her legs straddled on either side of him. He looked at her, alarmed, before seeing her now playful eyes.

She laughed. "You look scared for a second there, Ghost King." She heard Percy chuckle. Rachel looked around, saw no one other than Percy, and placed a passionate kiss on Nico's warm lips. He looked surprised, but quickly returned the kiss, a sigh softly passing through his parted lips.

Percy—completely forgotten—shifted on his feet, feeling a bit uncomfortable. But he didn't leave because he felt like he should stand guard and warn them in case someone came in this direction. He desperately wished they would go to Nico's unoccupied cabin, so he wouldn't have to watch this display of affection, but instead he turned away from them, watching for other campers or counselors.

By this time, Nico had rolled on top of Rachel, pressing her into the soft grass. His mouth trailed hot kisses from the corner of her jaw, all the way down her neck.

Rachel's heart was pounding against her chest. She felt his hands travel to her lower back, stop, and then inch up to caress the higher part of her back. Then they broke apart, gasping, and he pulled them into a sitting position, placing her in his lap. She leaned against his chest, listening to his speeding heart.

Percy turned awkwardly from his post, and glanced at them. "Um, do you think you could move this party to your cabin?" He asked Nico. "Annabeth's waiting at the lake for me."

Rachel and Nico got to their feet, thanked Percy, and struggled to keep space between them as they walked to the Big House, instead of Nico's cabin. They thought they'd switch things up a bit.

Rachel tried to cool her burning face by subtly wiping her wet hair against her face. When they made it to her place, she opened the door, and they walked into the rec room, which was also the counselors' conference area and Rachel's home. Chiron use to live there, but he got his own little house built next to the Big House instead.

Rachel used to be annoyed when senior counselors would barge into her room, demanding to have a conference, and then sit down like they owned the place. Which, technically, they _did _own the place—or rather they inherited it from the gods. But regardless, it was supposed to be her home. She quickly got over this though, when the half-bloods would give her a look—that usually meant 'argue and I'll spare with you'—and continue with their meeting anyway.

The room was homey. It had red carpet and a huge, fluffy black rug in the center, topped with a russet-colored table. A golden-colored full-sized bed was stuffed in the corner of the room with a large dresser beside it. A fire was burning brightly, with a mantle that was covered with pictures of friends and family. Her painting supplies stood in another corner, on a linoleum floor. Paintings dotted the wooden walls.

Rachel sighed, contented with her home. Nico gently wrapped his arms around her waist, leaning in for a kiss. Then she stifled a scream when, from the rays of light streaming from her window, a certain sun god appeared with a stern look on his face.

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**End of chapter notes: Like it? Hate it? Have a suggestion on a beta? Review please! Your reward is virtual cookies! :D**


	4. Chapter 4: Apollo Gets All Parental

**A/N: Told you so. I updated on the same day! Love me? Hate me? :p**

**I promise to try and update sooner. But I still need a beta. If I don't get a beta before this story is finished, I will keep it as incomplete until it is edited. So tell all your friends that Kiki needs a quick, excellent beta. Thank you and enjoy! :D**

**Disclaimer: Do I own PJO? Hmm, lemme ask Rick Riordan's lawyer . . . he says no. I believe him.**

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_**Chapter Four: Apollo Gets All Parental**_

Apollo did _not _look like he was in the mood to sprout a haiku. His arms were crossed against his muscled chest, his eyes bore into Rachel's. He looked like a teenager—around eighteen years old—but today his eyes were grave like an adult's.

He was wearing his usual loafers, sleeveless T-shirt, and blue jeans. His sandy blond hair glinted in the sun, and it seemed like he was radiating warmth and sun rays. He noticed Rachel's wet hair and clothes, sighed, and then flicked his index finger at her. A warm burst of light streamed at her, drying her clothes and red hair.

Nico nervously removed his hands from Rachel's waist, and took a step back.

Apollo studied Rachel and asked in a calm voice, "Rachel, what have you been up to?"

She looked at her feet. Rachel was usually never frightened around Apollo, but right now he looked quite livid. "Um, well Lord Apollo, I—I love Nico. And we haven't been up to anything . . . sensual or anything. We're just together." Apollo didn't look convinced.

"It hardly matters, Rachel. You know the rules. You have sworn off men." It was strange to hear Apollo so serious. He usually greeted Rachel with a happy-go-lucky 'Hey, Rachel! How's it hanging?'

Rachel shook off these thoughts and switched her attention to the problem at hand. "Apollo, I swore to stay _pure_. As long as I follow those rules, can't I be with Nico?"

Apollo contemplated. He began to pace slowly back and forth, staring at Nico, as if he was searching his soul. Which he might have been doing. Regardless, it was making Nico antsy, and he nervously switched his weight from one foot to the other. Rachel grasped his hand reassuringly. If Apollo blasted him into ashes, she would never forgive the sun god. But she didn't think Apollo was that cruel.

"Do you know why I made the rule for the Oracle to stay pure, Rachel?" Apollo suddenly asked.

Rachel shook her head. "No I don't, lord Apollo."

He looked her in the eyes and said softly, "It was made in honor to my maiden sister, Artemis. She was very proud of me that day. It's pretty much the only thing she's ever been proud of me for," he said, a far-away look coming to his eyes, before he continued pacing.

Rachel had never seen that side of Apollo. The sensitive side. It was kind of sweet that he made that rule for his sister. Though had _he_ ever fallen desperately in love with one of the sexiest men on earth? Rachel desperately hoped not . . .

Though what Rachel and Nico did not truly know was that the oath for the Oracle to stay pure was much, much more than a silly promise to Apollo's sister, Artemis. For most of his eternity, Apollo had an Oracle. And for most of his eternity, he had been in love with the Oracle. The mortal women would take on the spirit of Delphi, and Apollo couldn't help but fall in love with them. Once the Oracle either gave up her position or passed away, Apollo would be heartbroken, and he would find a new mortal. Then, despite his best wishes, he would fall in love with her. It was the same cycle, over and over. And he never won the heart of any of the Oracles. It was almost as if he, an all-powerful sun god, had a terrible curse.

But, since he loved Rachel, he wanted her to be happy. And he truly believed Nico was a well-mannered man; though every fiber of his jealous body yearned for Nico's love for her to be false.

Apollo seemed to come to a decision. "You seem like a decent boy, Nico," he said, as if he was a father checking out a boy for his daughter; though that was hardly the case with Apollo. His wretched love for Rachel ended all fatherly feelings for her. But he had to keep up the act. "And you seem to really love Rachel. I will allow you two to be together." Nico and Rachel breathed a sigh of relief.

"But," Apollo continued, "If I ever hear word that you two have—how should I put this? Given your bodies to one another? I will personally give you a punishment so severe that it won't be worth a few moments of passion. Understood?" He glared at Nico.

Nico nodded his head. "Understood, sir."

And with that, the two young adults averted their eyes as Phoebus Apollo vanished in a blast of light.

_You will be confronted by the Delphi's lord, who will forgive or deceive the devotion_, Nico thought with a silent 'check.' Apollo had forgiven their love.

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**End of chapter notes: Sorry this was short, by the way. I need help on how to lengthen it. Also I know the myth says that the Spirit of Delphi accepts virgin mortals better, and in my fic I didn't say that. But I thought Apollo deserved to have a sensitive side, no?**

**P.S.: I love reviews and criticism. It's my air. So . . . will you let me breath and give me a nice review? ;)**

**/EDIT/:**

**P.S.2: I'd like to thank **chrissyissy** for her suggestion. She said that Apollo typically fell in love with the Oracle, so he wouldn't want her to be intimate because he's jealous. I revised this chapter to fit that suggestion. Thanks again, Chrissy! :D**


	5. Chapter 5: The Best Paint War In History

**A/N: Quick update, no? Thank you to everyone who asked to be my beta; that was very sweet! And thanks for the reviews, readers! ^^**

**Special thanks to **Minnie Cyrus**, for beta-ing this! Thank you a million times over, Minnie! :D**

**Hope everyone enjoys this next chapter! I tried to add a bit of humor. :)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own PJO! Rick Riordan does! I'm just taking his characters around for a little spin. We're all going out for ice cream. ;)**

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**_Chapter Five: The Best Paint War In the History of Paint Wars_**

_Oh my gods_, Rachel thought as Nico kissed her wet lips. _This is amazing. I've never felt love this strong before Nico._

They ended their kiss and arose from their strange position on the black shaggy rug of Rachel's home. Rachel noticed her painting in the far corner of the room. She had painted Nico's cabin, and the glow from the green-flamed torches didn't look quite right. She walked over to the easel, and grabbed some dark green and yellow tubes of acrylic paint. She twisted at the cap, trying to get it open. The cap wouldn't budge. She grabbed a towel, and struggled with the cap again. Just as Nico was walking over to help her, the cap finally twisted off but paint squirted from the tube, hitting her clear in the face.

She sputtered, wiping paint from her eyes. She heard Nico's low chuckleand rounded on him.

"Oh, you think this is funny, do you?" She asked playfully. Her eyebrows were raised, and she had a devilish smirk on her face. "Well, Nico di Angelo, son of Hades, I hope you enjoy the taste of paint." She gave the tube a tug in his direction, and he attempted to dodge the paint but she was too quick. The paint splattered on his cheek, and she smirked with victory.

"You really shouldn't have done that, Rachel Elizabeth Dare," Nico said, trying to hold back a smile. He grabbed a tube of blue paint, swiftly opened it, and spewed the paint up and down her clothes. She gawked indignantly.

Thus began the paint war.

Red, blue, green, yellow, orange, black, brown. Everywhere. Absolutely everywhere. Paint covered the floor, walls, furniture, and even the ceiling. Both Rachel and Nico were laughing hysterically, making patterns with the paint on each others' faces.

After running around the room, trying to catch each other to smear paint on one another, they collapsed on the very colorful bed, gasping and clutching stitches in their sides. Nico turned toward Rachel, gazing at her. How could she look so beautiful, even with paint all over her?

She noticed him staring at her and raised her eyebrows. "What?" She giggled. "Do I look that funny? Because I know you do." She chuckled again.

He laughed with her. But then he face became serious as he leaned closer to her. "Rachel," he whispered. They pressed their lips together, kissing, and the paint mixed together on their faces. Ignoring the paint, he kissed her neck and shoulders. He slipped his hands under her shirt, and she gasped with surprise. But she allowed it.

They kissed and murmured to each other, and somehow these kisses seemed different from their others. Without even thinking about it, Nico unclasped one of Rachel's buttons on her shirt, and she froze.

He stopped, looking at her with regret and muttered, "Sorry. I forgot." He removed his hands from her body and looked embarrassed.

She touched his face. "It's okay. You know I love you and want you. But we can't do that. I can't risk you getting turned into ashes," she said. They slowly got up from the bed, and looked around the room.

It was truly a mess—a complete disaster. And the worst part was the demanding knock on her door. Rachel looked toward the door. "Oh wonderful," she muttered, dreading every step toward the door handle. She peered out the peephole, and a group of senior counselors, including Percy, Annabeth, and Chiron were standing there, waiting for her greeting.

"Shit," she groaned, as she rushed back into the paint-splattered room.

"Who's at the door?" Nico asked.

"Senior counselors. They're here for a meeting! I completely forgot about that!"

She heard Nico curse, and he grabbed a towel to start wiping the chairs off. Rachel heard another hasty knock on the door. She scrambled around, and then grabbed some fresh clothes from the dresser. Then she proceeded to peel off her disgusting clothing.

Nico gasped, unable to contain his surprise at looking at her beautiful figure. Rachel turned around—still in her undergarments—and made a motion toward her painting corner, indicating him to clean it up. He tore his eyes away from his girlfriend, his mind a bit hazy, and did what she silently told him to do.

Rachel had dressed and wiped the paint off her and was now ripping the rainbow-colored comforter off her bed. She jumped when she heard a couple of forceful taps on the window on the other side of the room. Percy's head was peeping in, and she saw his surprised expression. He mouthed a curse word and swiveled his head back and forth, as if checking to see if the other counselors were watching him. Then he darted to the back door of the Big House.

She rushed to unlock it, and Percy raced into the room. He raised his hand toward a sink that was used to clean her painting supplies. The water rushed out of the pipes, drenching the room with cold water. He managed to spare Rachel, having already soaked her to the bone recently.

Unfortunately Nico wasn't so lucky. He spit water out of his mouth, and flicked aside his dark, wet hair, giving Percy a murderous look.

"Now what, Water Boy? This place looks worse than it did before!" Nico scoffed, crossing his arms and trying to look stern.

Percy rolled his eyes before shutting them, concentrating hard on the tug in the pit of his stomach. With a dull roar, the polluted water rose from the carpet, walls, and furniture and gathered above their heads. Then, without warning, the water streamed out of the room, and travelled down the hallway to the back door.

Nico and Rachel peeked around the doorway, watching the floating, colorful water. The liquid splashed against the back door, and then ran in thin, zigzagged streams under the door. The little rivulets seemed to stick to the door like static, and it appeared quite supernatural. The last few drops of water trickled its way out of the Big House, and all was silent.

Nico's jaw dropped. He touched the carpet, unable to believe what just happened. The carpet was bone dry. Percy, ignoring Nico's gaping and stuttering, clutched Nico by the wrist and they scurried out the door.

Rachel was nonplussed and she walked back into her room and looked out the window. Nico was clumsily racing away from the Big House, trying not to be seen by the counselors. Finally Rachel opened the front door after a booming third knock echoed through the house.

"Way to be punctual, Dare," Clarisse, a daughter of Ares, sneered as she pushed her way into the Big House. The other counselors muttered their more polite greetings as they walked into her house, and sat down at the table for their meeting.

Chiron, skating over the threshold in his magical wheelchair, gave Rachel a look that made her think he knew exactly what was going on between her and Nico. She gave him an uneasy grin, and then escaped to the attic. She wasn't in the mood to listen to a meeting today. She just wanted to daydream about her times with Nico and hope her life as an Oracle wouldn't last the rest of her life.

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**End of chapter notes: Next chapter will be up soon! Thanks again, Minnie! ^^**

**Oh, and if any of you readers are interested in going out for a spin to get ice cream with the PJO characters, you should review! Any flavor! Totally on me! :D**


	6. Chapter 6: Keep Your Pants On!

**A/N: It's been a couple of weeks since I've updated this; sorry! If you read my latest post on my other story "Broken Wing" or read my profile, you would know that I was on vacation. It was a nice break, but I'm getting back to my writing. I just made a new Quil/Claire one-shot called "I'm Gonna Give All My Secrets Away." No worries, "It's Not a Diary!" is still continuing, but I just HADE to write that fic NOW. *Shrugs* Anyway, enjoy this new chapter.**

**Lots of thanks to **Minnie Cyrus**, my beta for this story. She did a great job editing! ^-^**

**And thanks for reviewing everyone! :)**

**Disclaimer: If I owned Rick Riordan's PJO, the series wouldn't have been near as good. Trust me. ;)**

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_**Chapter Six: For the Love of Gods, Keep Your Pants On!**_

Nico muttered a curse as he fell onto the cold floor of his cabin. His shoes were slippery from Percy's 'let's drench Rachel's home and slurp it all back up' solution.

He felt a tightening in his gut, and he sensed he was being watched. He swore to the gods as a shadow slinked from a dark corner of the cabin. His father approached him with a rather disappointed look on his face.

"Cursing about me? Your own father? Not very smart, Nico." Hades chuckled darkly.

Nico suppressed the urge to roll his eyes and tugged off his wet T-shirt, ignoring his father completely. He grabbed a fresh one, threw it on, and then finally turned to his father.

"Father," Nico said wryly. "What brings you here?"

"Oh, just in the neighborhood. I thought I'd stop by and visit my favorite son," Hades said nonchalantly. Then he turned to his son with a sneer. "What do you think, you little brat! What is going on between you and that Oracle?"

Nico gulped, feeling like he was twelve again. "Father, we kind of have a relationship going on. And—" Nico froze when he saw his father's lethal expression.

"Nico, do realize that Apollo has _still _not gotten over me killing the last Oracle? Do you _know_ how long I would be tormented by all the gods if you seduced that girl?" Hades boomed, his eyes turning to flames. Nico flinched.

"Not to mention the fact that my only son would be burned to a crisp! That is really humiliating!" Hades voice softened a little when talking about his son possibly dying, but quickly turned deadly when he mentioned his humiliation.

"Father, I—"

"I don't really see what's special about that Oracle, anyway." Hades spewed.

"Well, she's—" Nico tried to begin.

"I suppose she's rather pretty."

"Yeah, she's—"

"You better keep your damn pants on, Nico! Or else I promise you, you'll never leave your dungeon of a room for as long as you live _or _die!" Hades lectured, as he pointed a finger at his only son.

"Father!" Nico snapped, instantly regretting his attitude when his father's eyes turned to coal black flames again.

Nico took a deep breath before continuing, "Father, I love Rachel. And I respect her, and her decisions."

"You seemed pretty close to seducing her this afternoon!" Hades interrupted.

"You were spying on us?" Nico shouted, visibly appalled, remembering his and Rachel's paint-splattered kisses. His hands roaming her body; him gently tugging off a button from her shirt . . .

Hades looked the tinniest bit sheepish. "It's not like I wanted to," he defended. "I had to make sure you weren't doing anything foolish. Though you do seem to get your charms from me. She was completely absorbed with you."

Nico's face flushed with embarrassment, but he was still completely outraged. "Get out, NOW!" He spit venomously at his father, pointing to the shadows. He was lucky his father didn't disintegrate him.

Hades gave his son one last deathly glare before fading into the shadows saying, "You better be careful, brat. You better be careful . . ."

Verse three of the prophecy was complete. _You will be judged by the god who gave you life and can easily make you dead._

_Well_, Nico thought, _looks like I'm not dead. Yet._

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**End of chapter notes: Give a shout-out if you like this story! Heck, give a shout-out if you hate this story! All I really want is for you to hit that cute little review button. ^-^**


	7. Chapter 7: A Heroic 'Yah' Is in Order!

**A/N: What can I say? Life's been hectic: my grandpa got put in the hospital for something wrong with his lung (he's alright now), school started, homework, my computer's STILL acting funny, homework, I'm sick, homework, and . . . oh, yeah. Homework! So . . . in short, school is killing me! But, I'm trying my best, and the next chapters for **Broken Wing **and **It's Not a Diary!** will be up ASAP. And thanks for the reviews, everyone! They make my day!**

**Let's all give super-massive hugs to **Minnie Cyrus **for beta-ing! *glomps* Thanks, Minnie! :D**

**Enjoy the story!**

**Oh, one more thing. Some anymous reviewers were asking about a sex scene between Rachel and Nico. I can't really say yes, or no. I mean . . . *sigh* This is hard to explain. Basically, don't give up on me yet, because I may or may not have that type of scene between them, but if I give a straight answer, it will kind of give away the whole fan fic. Understand? No? *facepalm* Just don't give up on me, okay? *gets hit with a tomato* **

**Disclaimer: If I owned PJO, I would also own a beach house in Malibu and have my own private library. Last time I checked, I don't have any of those things, so I'm guessing Rick Riordan does!**

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**_Chapter Seven: I Believe a Heroic 'Yah' Is in Order_**

Rachel hummed quietly as she listened to her iPod, sitting on a dusty box by the window in the attic of the Big House and watching the sun set.

"Guess who," A low masculine voice murmured as he placed his hands over her eyes.

Rachel grinned. "Hey, Nico. Missed you."

He removed his hands and sat on the box with her. "Missed you, too." He paused, and then continued in a quiet voice, "My father visited my cabin today."

Rachel turned toward him, yanking out her headphones, and her eyes widened. "What did he say?" she questioned in a quiet whisper.

_He told me to keep my damn pants on_, Nico thought sarcastically. "Basically the same thing Apollo said, except he used more threats about being locked in my room for all eternity, dead or alive. That sort of thing." Nico responded with a small grin.

Rachel tried to clear the lump in her throat and responded in a trying-too-hard-to-be-casual voice. "Oh. That's . . . good."

Nico wrapped his arms around her, pulling her against his shoulder. "Don't worry. Everything will be okay." He said this in such a determined way, that Rachel felt the knot in her stomach unclench. She believed him.

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"Hey, Dare! Heads up!" A burst of cold water shot toward her, and she scrambled away from her spot near the grape vines. It was Percy's job to water the plants, now that all the satyrs were off saving the world from 'those silly polluting nasty people', as some of the satyrs had phrased it; perhaps they were thinking to save it from humans such as Rachel.

Rachel chose a spot already watered by Percy, ignoring the wet ground, and inhaled the heavenly smell of grapes. She picked up her sketchbook, and began drawing again. Percy peeked over her shoulder to see her drawing Nico. She had captured the very intensity of his eyes, a perfect copy of his messy hair, and the exact shape of his body.

"So, how are you and the death child holding up?" Percy asked conversationally.

She snickered and answered, "We're doing great." They had been secretly dating for a couple of months now, and summer was coming to a close, to Rachel's deep regret. "How're you and Wise Girl? You're being good to her, aren't you?" Rachel smiled.

"Mmm, very good actually. Too good," Annabeth materialized next to Percy, her arms wrapping around his waist, as she responded in a very suggestive way. Her lips touched the skin under his ear, and he shuttered, turning to bring his lips lightly on hers. Her Yankees cap—which made her invisible—fell off her blond curls and onto the damp soil.

"What're you doing here?" Percy asked his girlfriend, a bit breathless.

"Oh, just watching you work," she replied, her eyes roaming the T-shirt that was clinging to his muscles. "You look good when you're all sweaty, Seaweed Brain."

Rachel rolled her eyes and turned back to her drawing. Annabeth, her seductive mode completely forgotten, glanced at the sketch.

"Hey, that's pretty good, Rachel," the daughter of Athena commented politely. "Do you think you could come over and check out my blueprints for that new building in Olympus? I want to see if you like the design."

"Sure," Rachel agreed, and both girls said goodbye to Percy as they headed over to Athena's cabin.

The girls had almost reached the cabin, when Annabeth grabbed Rachel's shoulder to stop her. "Wait a sec," she told Rachel, her eyes were suspicious. "Something doesn't feel right." Rachel instantly tensed and froze, trying to feel what Annabeth felt. A tingling ran down her spine, and she shuttered, turning toward the direction of the Camp's arena.

Rachel grasped the daughter of Athena's hand, and she pulled her in that direction. "It's this way. I can feel it." They ran toward the arena, and took in the scene before them.

Hyperborean giants, _dracaena_, a massive pink pork monster, the Minotaur, and many other Titan monsters that Rachel had no name for were charging against hellhounds, skeleton warriors, nymphs, and campers. The worst monster was the drakon, who was spewing fire at the dodging campers, roaring and attempting to rake its huge poisonous fangs at anything and everything. And the Titan, Prometheus, was the lead.

Annabeth looked shocked. "But—but," she stammered. "How could Prometheus do this? He never seemed like he was any harm when we met him!"

Percy raced into the arena, huffing rapidly, and answered her. "He—he may seem like a good Titan, but all he wants is to help himself. And if he thinks he can earn a big reward, he will attack for the winning team."

Rachel's mythology lessons came streaming into her mind. Prometheus was the Titan who had stolen fire from the gods to give to the humans, and he was chained to a rock, with a vulture that would constantly rip apart his liver for all eternity. Hercules had freed him from his bonds.

"Give up and bow to me, campers. You are fighting a losing battle." Prometheus roared in a chilly voice that sounded exactly like Kronos. His eyes were golden and stern, which was completely unusual for Prometheus's easy-going personality.

Annabeth looked appalled. "Kronos put his spirit in Prometheus! I didn't even know that was possible to do to a Titan!" Her voice was cut off when she had to dodge a fire ball.

Rachel felt like her heart had turned to ice when she saw a familiar fluff of black, unruly hair on the massive krakon. Nico was jabbing his three foot long, extremely sharp Stygian iron sword at the serpent. The krakon bared its long, sharp teeth, aiming for Nico's leg.

"NICO!" Rachel shouted, grabbing a celestial bronze sword from a fallen camper. Without even thinking, she charged the monster, and stabbed at its foot. It didn't even faze the beast. It simply spit fire at her, making her have to drop roll on the ground to avoid being burned with the poison.

Nico swiveled his head in Rachel's direction, distracted, and the monster threw him across the field as he landed on top of Percy. "OWW!" Percy bellowed. Luckily Percy was invulnerable from bathing in the River Styx, or else Nico would have broken several of his important bones.

"Thanks for breaking my fall, man!" Nico shouted, before racing toward Rachel, who was leaping away from the drakon's teeth.

He threw an arm around Rachel, pushing her backwards, and said, "Get out of here, Rachel! You'll be killed!"

"I'm not leaving you here!" She shouted back at him, attempting another jab at the monster. The serpent swung its tail at her, causing her to fall painfully to the ground, the poisonous pricks on the monster breaking into the skin of her arm. She cried out in pain and grasped her arm. Her face turned sickly green.

Fury rolled in Nico, and he stared up at the krakon with rage. With a heroic, "Yaaaaahhhh!" Nico pounced straight into the air, landing on the monster's neck, and stabbed it with his sword for all he was worth.

He concentrated on the ground, and the soil ripped apart, green flames bursting from the cracks. It swallowed the krakon, bringing the monster to the depths of the Underworld, and Nico gracefully jumped from the monster before it seeped underground. When Nico's feet touched the ground, the fixture sealed up with a loud boom.

Ignoring his fellow campers' gaping, he fell to the ground next to Rachel and dug in his pocket for ambrosia squares. He prayed to Apollo that the spirit of Delphi would protect Rachel from bursting to flames at the taste of the food of the gods.

Apparently luck was on his side, because Rachel sputtered and coughed, looking weakly up at Nico. "Hey," she rasped.

Tears pricked in Nico's eyes. "Do me a favor, would you? Please stop making me so worried about you. Go back to the Big House and have a nymph take care of you." He motioned toward a couple of nymphs, and they carried Rachel back to safety.

Nico turned back to fight, and was surprised to see all the Titan monsters gone, and in their place campers were huffing, clutching stitches in their sides. Some campers were on the ground, panting, and many of the skeleton warriors he had summoned were on the ground in piles of bones.

Percy was fighting the Titan, Prometheus, whose eyes were still fierce, bright bullion. Nico rushed over to help just as the Titan yelled, "I can't die, foolish hero! Just because my monsters are gone, it doesn't mean the battle is lost! Titans will overrule!" But before he could say anymore, satyrs and nymphs burst from the trees, Grover and Juniper at the head. Grover let loose a strangled yelp—which was the call of the Wild—and tree roots erupted from the ground, twirling and twisting into the air, reaching toward Prometheus.

Music filled the air as the satyrs blew their reed pipes, and the nymphs wound branches around the struggling Titan. He released one last roar as the bark closed over his mouth, stiffening his whole body as his arms and legs turned to tree limbs.

"Ah," Grover sighed. "I love nature." The unharmed campers surrounded Grover, Juniper, and the other Wild heroes. Nico, Percy, and Annabeth threw their arms around Grover and Juniper, clapping them on the back with gratitude.

Nico didn't stick around to receive his fame for killing the drakon. He rushed back to the Big House, his mind filled with images of a pain-stricken Rachel.

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**End of chapter notes: Yeeeaahh, I don't do battle scenes very well. But, I tried! Hope you all liked it anyway; let me know in the review panel, please! ^-^**


	8. Chapter 8: Apollo Loves a Good Party!

**A/N: It's been a little over a week; not bad, if I do say so myself. And I like this chapter; it's cutsie. ^w^ **

**This story is coming to a close soon. But keep with it, everyone! I promise it will get even better! **

**Many, many thanks to **Minnie Cyrus**, my wonderful beta for this story! She's a doll! And she made this story flow SO much better! Thanks, m'dear! :D**

**Oh, and if you are confused as to why Apollo is acting the way he is, you might want to go back to chapter four for a refresher course. I edited chapter four about a half hour after everyone could see it (which was months ago, lol), so some readers might be confused as to why Apollo is . . . well, acting the way he is. Most readers will understand Apollo's behavior because they read that chapter after I edited. But still. Just thought I'd remind you all (I don't blame you if you didn't understand a word I just said, xD).**

**All right. I'm done now. Thanks for the reviews! Enjoy! **

**Disclaimer: I'm a girl! Not a grown man like Rick Riordan! How offensive! :P**

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**_Chapter Eight: Apollo Loves a Good Party!_**

Within a couple of hours, Rachel was bickering with the nymphs, impatiently batting their anxious hands away, telling them she was perfectly fine. Rachel was back to her normal self.

She insisted on getting up and walking around, saying she was tired of looking at so many wooden walls. She gave Nico a quick once-over, her eyes searching for any major—or minor if she could find any—battle wounds. He only seemed to have a single scratch on his face—one that he claimed she made while swatting him away at his attempts to see if she was all right.

Now she was drowsily lounging in his lap, playing with his fingers, and kissing the palm of his hand. They were sitting on the porch of the Big House, enjoying the outdoors. She smiled up at him, happy to just be near him, hoping this would last forever. She gazed at the sun set, their hands intertwined.

The sun seemed to be getting brighter and more colorful. It seemed . . . closer. And whoa. She tugged on her shirt, opening a few buttons, and fanned her face. It was getting really hot all of a sudden. She scrambled off Nico's lap, squinting and feeling perspiration bud on her face. The light was so bright now that she had to turn her head away, and she noticed Nico's surprised face doing the same thing. She heard a _beep, beep_, and flashed her head back toward the sun.

Nico's jaw dropped open. He remembered this. He remembered this—this absolutely_ amazing_ car. A red convertible Maserati Spyder. He saw it when he was ten years old.

Rachel was already over her surprise. She'd seen this car millions of times. The shock wears off after a few laps around the world, providing the sun for the whole population of the earth.

Apollo got out of the driver's seat, a white-toothed grin appearing on his face. His sandy hair rippled in the warm breeze. He had on his usual attire, and his eyes—unlike his last visit—were childish and sparkling. In short, he looked like a million bucks. And Rachel pretty much knew what that looked like.

"What goes on?" Apollo greeted, a spring in his step. The sun god was his normal, happy-go-lucky self. His eyes lingered on Rachel's face a bit longer than usual, and he attempted to keep up the façade. He was just a typical, cheerful sun god. Right?

He slid onto the porch next to them, and ruffled Rachel's hair playfully. "How are my Oracle and her Ghost King?"

She smiled. "We're great, thanks lord Apollo. And my arm's healing up nicely," She said and patted her bandaged arm.

Nico looked at her with a worried expression, his gaze on her arm. She snorted. "Nico, I swear on the River Styx, I'll be just fine. Don't be so worried." The intense worry in his black eyes faded a degree.

"Yeah, Nico," Apollo said. "Our Rachel will be just fine. In fact, I think a haiku is in order—to celebrate Rachel's miraculous recovery." He cleared his throat, and Rachel stifled a groan. If anything, Apollo was back to his child-like attitude and terrible haikus.

_"Rachel is safe now._

_My prophecies never lie._

_I am so cool."_

Rachel sighed. "Apollo, that last line was only four syllables."

Apollo waved his hand dismissively. "I know my haikus, Miss Dare. You just concentrate on healing that arm, sweetheart."

Nico chuckled, lovingly brushing his hand through Rachel's hair. Apollo looked at Rachel with longing, the young couple not even noticing his stare. Yes, he had feelings for the red-haired Oracle, but he did not come here to woo the beautiful Miss Dare. No, he was here for an entirely different reason.

"You know," Apollo continued with a hint of sadness disguised by a brilliant smile. "I think you might have to take a permanent break from being the Oracle."

Rachel was stunned. What had she done? She sprouted prophecies, like the good little Oracle she—supposedly—was, and she was still pure. Did she do something wrong?

Apollo shook his head, reading her thoughts. "No, no, you haven't done anything wrong, Rachel. I just think it's time you . . . moved on. Grew up." He dreaded to say these words, but it was necessary. He loved Rachel, but she didn't love him. End of story.

"But w—what about the prophecies? And the Mist, and me seeing all the monsters, and stuff? What about . . . this whole place? Camp Half-Blood? Will I ever see this place again?"

"No worries, babe," Apollo grinned. "You'll still have the Sight, you'll still have the extra senses and defense skills you've developed, and you can come to Camp Half-Blood as much as you want. As for the prophecies, I'll just use the mummy Oracle in the attic, just for a little while. She'll work just fine until the next live Oracle comes around." He paused, and then smiled. "And who knows? You and Death Boy here might have a little girl that sees through the Mist and can be my next Oracle."

Nico and Rachel looked at each other. A family? Of their own? Rachel could already see it now.

Nico coming back from his mortal job, loosening his tie as he bent down to kiss Rachel. Her standing on her tip-toes to kiss him back, as her cooking apron fell to the ground. A little girl with black hair and bright green eyes pattering across the kitchen floor to give her father a hug, wrapping her little arms around his legs. . .

Apollo looked at Rachel—a happy, yet sort of sad, gleam in his eyes. "You see," he said, "Life as a mortal doesn't have to be all that bad." He desperately wanted her to be happy.

Rachel laughed. "Yeah, this coming from the guy who's a Greek god, drives a convertible that's pretty much the sun, and is the god of prophecies and bad poetry, among many other extraordinary things? You sure know how to be normal," She paused. "Lord Apollo." She added for good measure.

"Yeah, well, that's how I do," Apollo raked his hands through his hair, in an attempt to look cool, and smirked.

Nico was looking at the ground, contemplating. This was Rachel's life. She was born to be the Oracle. And she was just going to throw it all away? For him? He just couldn't fathom it. But he loved her, so much. And being able to settle down and have a family with her, a couple years down the road, was very tempting. Maybe even sooner . . .

Nico glanced up at Rachel, who was already looking at him, and said, "You sure?"

She gazed into Nico's dark, intense eyes and said, "I've never been more sure of anything in my entire life."

Nico's heart pounded, love spreading through his blood, and he knelt down before her, taking her hand.

"I promise, right here and right now, to love you forever. Even after death and I take my last breath. So would you, Miss Rachel Elizabeth Dare, be my wife?" He looked affectionately at her.

"Yes, yes, _of course_," she replied, her eyes watery and a happy smile spreading across her face. And she got on her knees, leaned forward, and kissed him. And kissed him. She showered kisses on his face repeating "yes, yes, yes" over and over again. She was happy. So happy.

Apollo sighed. "Ah, young love. So, when's the reception? You know how I love a good party!"

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**End of chapter notes: How did you like it? Let me know in a review! I plan on updating this (and my other stories) at least once a week. So far, so good. ^^**

**REMEMBER 9/11: May those who died rest in peace.**


	9. Chapter 9: Note to Self

**A/N: I'm sorry it's been soooo long, but real life got the best of me. This story is nearly finished, and I have been working hard ever since school ended for the summer, in order to finish this story and continue others. I'm SO glad to be back, and since it is summer I can officially promise this story will be completed soon. **

**Thank you! ^-^**

**Disclaimer: Rick Riordan is such a genius. I, however, am not. ;)**

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**_Chapter Nine: Note to Self . . . Don't Steal from Powerful Gods of Death_**

"Nico, are you sure this is okay," Rachel whispered, clutching tightly to his hand with fear.

"Of course I'm sure," he replied, "I am my father's child; the child of the god who holds all the riches."

They were traveling in the eerie depths of the Underworld, in search of Rachel's wedding ring. A female spirit, chattering like a screeching bat, floated past Rachel, her cold, misty hand grazing across Rachel's face. When her hand made contact with the living girl's face, it simply brushed through her, unable to touch a live person. Rachel shuttered and grasped Nico's forearm.

She was rarely frightened, but the Underworld could scare even the toughest people—probably even Clarisse. Except, of course, the child of the Underworld, who held Rachel reassuringly. He murmured encouraging words in her ear, trying to make her feel better. It seemed to work for a while, until Cerberus barked—or perhaps the better word is roared—as they were attempting to pass the EZ DEATH gate, and Rachel nearly jumped ten feet in the air.

But the three-headed, enormous Rottweiler quickly changed attitudes when he saw Nico, and he sniffed and barked playfully at him. Nico grinned, petted the guard dog's gigantic feet, and took a fear-stricken Rachel by the hand.

They walked right past the humongous beast and into the Fields of Asphodel. Rachel looked a bit misty-eyed as she gazed at the hundred million population of the dead crowding in the huge field.

Finally they made it to courtyard of Hades's palace. The garden consisted of poisonous, luminous, and multicolored plants. They shimmered expectantly, drawing Rachel toward their immense power, and Nico shook his head, dragging her back. One touch of the deadly, alluring plants, and she would be dead.

Rubies, pearls, diamonds, sapphires, jade, and many other precious jewels were in huge clumps throughout the garden. They glimmered proudly, attracting what little light the Underworld had. Nico watched with humor as his fiancée's mouth dropped open with a _pop_.

"What appeals to you?" Nico whispered, guiding her toward the diamonds. She simply shook her head in awe, unable to give an answer. Nico decided he'd better help her. He saw a small, rather heart-shaped diamond that seemed perfect for her. He leaned toward it, his fingers about to graze the jewel, but he quickly retreated in shock as a booming voice in his head shouted:

_IF YOU DARE TOUCH THAT JEWEL, I WILL MAKE YOUR BODY BURST INTO FLAMES, AND YOU WILL WISH YOU COULD HAVE IMMEDIATE DEATH! WHO—_

The voice that nearly made Nico's ears explode stopped shouting.

_Nico_, his father said in a strained voice, _what in the Greek gods' name are you doing?_

Nico gulped. "I'm finding a jewel for my wife-to-be."

The dark, powerful voice growled, and Nico heard him snap his fingers. Before he could blink, he was in his father's palace, standing before him, with a trembling Rachel at his side.

"Hello, Father," Nico said as pleasantly as he could muster. "How are you this dark and treacherous morning?"

Hades glared at him, rising to his full size, his head nearly touching the ceiling. "Just peachy, son. Just peachy. But do tell," he said as he eyes bore into Nico's, "When exactly did you and your fiancée decide to get married?"

"Yesterday, lord Hades," Rachel answered for Nico, pale-faced and looking like she might throw up.

Hades turned his glare onto her. "And pray tell, dear Oracle, what you will do about your prophecies? Have you decided to give up your position as Apollo's favorite girl? Or has he decided to share you with my son?" He asked, ending the questions in a rather suggestive way.

Now Rachel's back straightened, color returning to her face, and she stared at Hades with a look of anger. "I haven't, and never will be, lord Apollo's girl—in that way—and you know that perfectly well. I am pure, and Apollo would never disrespect me in such a way that would make me impure." Her eyes softened a bit as she finished, "And lord Apollo was kind enough to let me live my life in a different way, and let me resign as the Oracle. He knew I was unhappy, and decided to fix it."

Nico was impressed with Rachel's confidence, but became a bit worried when an angry black mist rolled through his father's palace.

"Do you realize that my family will never forgive me?" Hades tried to control his looming anger. "Zeus and Poseidon will mock me for years, saying that they lost their precious Oracle due to the behavior of my son."

"That's ridiculous," Nico blurted. "Did they expect her to stay alone and unhappy for the rest of her life!"

"Apparently," Hades snapped. "But that is no business of yours, Nico! You should respect your family and their decisions!"

"Rachel is part of my family, and Apollo gave us his blessing. We will get married, Father, whether you like it, or not," Nico announced. "And when I was in the Underworld working for you and exploring for several summers, you said I could take a reward. I thought I could use that offer to get Rachel the best, most beautiful ring."

Hades shrunk down to normal size, and began to pace back and forth in front of the couple. "I suppose it is too late to change your minds about the wedding," Hades muttered to himself. "And I did make that blasted promise that you could have a reward. Oh drat."

Nico exchanged an anxious look with Rachel. She fixated him with a pleading stare. She wanted both Apollo and Hades blessing. She had already asked her father about the marriage, and since he knew Nico for so long, he had agreed to the marriage—to her immense shock.

"Please, Father. Would you please give us your blessing?" Nico hated to plead, but he knew his blessing would make Rachel happy. "I really love Rachel, and for some weird reason she loves me too. And I'm sure Apollo will find a new Oracle soon, and the gods will forgive and forget this whole thing."

Hades stared at his son, and then he looked at Rachel, and glanced back to Nico. The god of the dead sighed. "Whatever, brat. Marry the girl. I give you my blessing. Just get out of my palace." With a snap of his fingers, the diamond Nico had been looking at in the courtyard, appeared in his hand, and he tossed it at Nico.

It was a pathetic blessing, but a blessing nonetheless. Rachel gave Nico a satisfied grin, and he placed a hand at the small of her back as they travelled out of the Underworld and back to Camp Half-Blood—back to the world of the living.

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**End of chapter notes: The next couple of chapters will be posted shortly. :D**


	10. Chapter 10: Outlaw Pointless Rules

**A/N: Two chapters in one day? Perhaps we'll try for three . . . **

**Disclaimer: I'm running out of clever disclaimers . . .**

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**_Chapter Ten: Pointless Rules Should be Outlawed_**

It was one year later, during the summer—Nico had just graduated from college, which was pretty impressive for a dyslexic, ADHD man. Rachel and Annabeth were racing around New York, trying to put the final touches on the wedding plans. Normally Rachel wouldn't have cared about all that fancy stuff, but since it was her wedding, she really wanted it to be special.

A couple of weeks later, she was in the Big House trying on her dress the night before her wedding. Annabeth, the Aphrodite girls, and some other of Rachel's friends were staying the night with her. They were _oohing _and _awing_ at Rachel's sparkly white wedding dress, which had a streak of black glitter trailing from her right shoulder, down to the bottom of the dress. The black streak was a symbol of her gratitude toward Hades, who had surprisingly warmed up to both Nico and Rachel. He hadn't insulted them lately, so she considered that an improvement.

A knock came from the front door of the Big House. Annabeth, being the closest to the door, got up and answered it.

"Oh, no. You stay away, Ghost King!" Annabeth scolded. "You're not supposed to see the bride until tomorrow!"

Rachel's heart skipped a beat. Nico was here. She anxiously got to her feet, only to be pushed down by the Aphrodite girls.

"No, no!" One of them giggled. "You know the rules, Rachel Elizabeth Dare. He can't see you!" Rachel scoffed. _What a pointless rule_, she thought, plopping back on the ground.

Then Rachel lifted her head, and shouted in the direction of Nico, who was being pushed away from the Big House by Annabeth, "I love you, Nico! See you tomorrow!"

Nico, struggling against a swatting Annabeth, called back, "Love you too, honey!" He shoved jokingly at Annabeth. "All right, already! I'm going, I'm going!"

Later that night, all the girls were huddled on the pillows, blankets, and cushions that covered the floor. Everyone was fast asleep—except for Rachel. She quietly and carefully crawled over the smooth, tan legs of the Aphrodite girls, and reached over to gently tap Annabeth on the shoulder.

"Psst! Wise Girl! I need to talk to you!" Rachel whispered, giving the blond girl another soft shake.

"Mmm," Annabeth replied, flipping over on her back. "What is it?" She cracked open one eye. "Rachel? What's up?"

Rachel glanced around, noting the soft snores of the sleeping girls, and sighed. "I'm nervous."

Annabeth's eyes widened, and she said sarcastically, "Don't tell me that the all mighty Oracle has cold feet!"

Rachel rolled her eyes, which went unnoticed by the daughter of Athena, who couldn't see the gesture in the dark. "It's not really _cold feet_ necessarily. And technically I'm not the Oracle anymore. I officially won't be it tomorrow morning before the wedding."

"Well," Annabeth propped herself up by her elbow, "Then what do you mean?"

Rachel shuffled around nervously. "I'm worried about . . . the wedding night."

Annabeth didn't really expect this. Rachel always seemed so determined and fearless.

"I—I don't really know what to do," Rachel admitted, looking at Annabeth for guidance.

"Hey, don't look at me. I haven't gone that far with Percy."

Rachel was surprised. "Really?"

"Really, really," Annabeth confided. "But don't worry. Nico loves you, and he respects you. And things like making love are supposed to come naturally. Besides, I'm pretty sure Nico hasn't done it either."

"I know, I'm worrying for nothing," Rachel sighed, feeling silly and cowardly. Jeez, she was Rachel Elizabeth Dare, for crying out loud! She's done frightening things that most mortals never even dreamed of! She's fought monsters, sprouted prophecies, nearly fell out of a helicopter . . .

And husbands and wives give themselves to each other all the time; they put their faith in someone else. Rachel loved Nico, and she was determined to push away those trembling feelings from the pit of her stomach and finish her last night as a single woman.

"Thanks, Annabeth," Rachel finally said, giving her best friend a hug. "'Night."

"G'night," Annabeth smiled, returning the hug. They both shuffled to their own little nest of blankets and drifted into a peaceful slumber.

* * *

"Rachel Elizabeth Dare," Apollo announced in a formal way. Or rather it would have been formal if he didn't have a huge, somewhat fake, smile plastered on his gorgeous face. "You have the gift of the prophecy. You said it was once your destiny. In a way, it always will be. But are you willing to give it all up for love?"

Apollo gave her an encouraging smile, trying to explain with his eyes that even though the words sounded a bit harsh, he thought this was the best thing for her . . . even though he was still desperately in love with her. He hoped that would change once the spirit of Delphi was rid from her body. Maybe this love was simply magic.

Rachel nodded and stepped in front of an ancient table. They were in the attic, facing before a bottle of ashes that held the previous Oracle; it held the mummy.

Rachel said, "I decline this role. I once pledged myself to Apollo, God of Oracles. I will always respect the future and past. I ask the spirit of Delphi, Voice of the Gods, Speaker of Riddles, Seer of Fate, to take back the gift of the prophecies until the next willing taker. Rise, spirit of Delphi."

The whole attic began to shake, and the bottle fell to the floor with a loud crash. Green mist filled the room, and surrounded Rachel and the ashes on the floor. The ashes took the shape of the mummy. Rachel opened her mouth, and the mist rolled out of her, and flew into the mummy's mouth. Both Rachel and the mummy shuttered, and Rachel fell to the ground.

Nico, who had been watching the whole episode in the shadows, rushed forward to place a hand on Rachel's shoulder. Apollo looked like he wanted to stop Nico, but instead he clamped his mouth shut.

Rachel's eyes fluttered open. "Nico?" He smiled and embraced her.

"Welcome to your new life," Apollo grinned, and all three of them hastened down the steps.

Apollo stood in the shadows, the rays of the sun no longer radiating from his presence. He felt very much alone. The smile melted off and his face crumbled into a desolate grimace; he fell to his knees, letting loose a soft—yet tragic—wail. Heartbreak. Complete and utter heartbreak . . .

Meanwhile, Annabeth was waiting outside the Big House, and her eyes turned murderous when she saw Nico.

"You're not supposed to see the bride!" Annabeth yelled at him, but decided to let it go. Since when had any of them ever followed the rules?

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**End of chapter notes: I have one more chapter for you all today! Stay tuned!**


	11. Chapter 11: Deathly MotherDaughter Talk

**A/N: Who's up for a Mother-Daughter talk before the wedding? I sure am! ^^**

**Disclaimer: Hmmm . . . wit seems to escape me this afternoon . . . so, I simply don't own the PJO series. **

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**_Chapter Eleven: The Deathly Mother-Daughter Talk_**

Mrs. Dare delicately dabbed her eyes, her slender, bejeweled fingers flicking away the sparkling tears. She gently slipped a ruby-encrusted clip into her daughter's curly hair, trying to remember that her little girl would _always_ be hers—regardless if she was getting married or not.

Rachel had refused her mother's requests to go to a professional hair stylist, wanting the Aphrodite girls to fix her hair and apply her make-up instead. A couple of hours ago the girls were huddled around her like a swarm of birds: arguing, brushing, curling, hair spraying, and burning Rachel's ears. The occasional rounds of, "It's curl under, not curl over!" and, "She needs more lipstick! Someone hand me the bubble-gum pink, now!" ran through the crowded room. Rachel simply kept her mouth shut and let the experts do their job.

And even though she didn't _really_ get to know her mom until a few years ago, she still was beginning to miss the time they spent together. She remembered the shopping trips—that she hated with every bone in her body—and the late night movies. As a child, her mother was too busy being the typical rich wife to pay attention to her daughter. But she recently wanted to change that. Now her daughter was all grown up, and Mrs. Dare was sad that she missed her chance.

Perhaps it was the fact that she was getting older, and she probably wouldn't be having any more children. Maybe she truly did miss the childhood memories she should have had with her daughter. Regardless, she was trying her best, after many years, to be a good mother. Rachel couldn't help but be skeptical, but she found that her mother wasn't all that bad; just a bit spoiled.

She remembered the conversation she had with her mother as she stepped into her old room at her parents' magnificent house.

Her mom approached her with a hug, kissing her on either cheek. After a bit of small talk, Mrs. Dare got right to the main topic.

"Rachel," she began. "I'm not going to pretend I understand everything about the life you're living. I'm not so sure of your job at that camp. You tell me you're teaching the children arts and crafts, though it seems as if you are hiding something from me. It's as if your job at that camp is something much more important."

Rachel gulped, wondering where this conversation was going. Her mother and father didn't know about the Greek gods and goddesses, or her job as the Oracle; and they certainly didn't know about Nico being the son of Hades. "It's just a simple job, mom. I plan to get a job at the University this coming year; I want to professional teach art."

Rachel's mother waved the subject away like a pesky fly. "I don't really care, Rachel. I'm not _that_ nosy. You don't have to tell me everything," she insisted, stopping for a moment to brush the wrinkles from Rachel's dress. "I know it's a bit late to be asking this, but just tell me a few things. One, are you going to be happy with this Nico di Angelo? And two, is he going to give you and your children a good life. I never hear about his job, but you admitted he is rather wealthy." Mrs. Dare sighed. "Just tell me he has an honest-to-goodness way of living, please. I'd hate to know we're marrying you to a con-artist."

Rachel blinked once, then a second time, before bursting into laughter. "N-Nico?" She snickered. "A con-artist?" She tried to imagine the sweet man as a criminal and fell into a fit of giggles. "Mother!"

"What?" Mrs. Dare said indignantly. "You never know! Answer the questions, dear."

"F-Fine, fine," Rachel agreed, still trying to get her breath back. "One, I am very, very happy with Nico. I couldn't have met a nicer, smarter, more honest man. Two, he his job is . . ." Rachel paused for a moment, trying to come up with a decent lie. She couldn't really say that he was an instructor for a camp of demigods. "Well, right now he is working at the camp with me, but he is planning on getting a job in . . . grief counseling! Yeah, that's it. Grief counseling." Rachel announced with a smirk.

And it wasn't exactly a lie. They talked about him getting this job . . . once. It might have come up in a joke once—a quite morbid joke.

Now it was Mrs. Dare's turn to blink several times in confusion. "Er, death counseling? How . . . interesting."

Thus ended the rather interesting, pre-wedding mother-daughter talk.

Hours later Rachel was smoothing the back of her dress and waiting for her mother to finish straightening her wedding veil.

Rachel took once last look in the mirror, satisfied with the outcome, and gave her mom a big grin. Mrs. Dare kissed her daughter on her veiled cheek with a watery smile and shuttled Rachel out the door. Rachel and her mother and father stepped into the long, jet-black limo, and the driver sped to the church in the middle of New York. After waiting at the main door for the guests to arrive, Mrs. Dare took her seat in the pew, awaiting the arrival of the beautiful bride.

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**End of chapter notes: Just a short, sweet chapter. I know I'm leaving you in suspense, so t****he final chapter should be up sometime this week. Tell me what you think of the story in a review please! I would love to have your feedback in case anything needs to be edited or changed before I mark this story as completed. Thank you guys for all your patience! ^-^**


	12. Chapter 12: Surprise for the Brats

**A/N: The final chapter! Gosh, after over a year, I've finally finished a whole series of chapters! I hope you all are as happy as I am! I really love Nico and Rachel, so I will probably make more stories with them . . . maybe a sequel perhaps . . .**

**Disclaimer: The final disclaimer too? All I have to say is that Rick Riordan made the characters, the setting, the PJO series. I just took a chance to write in his wonderful world. ^^**

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_Chapter Twelve: Hades Gives a Surprise to the Brats_

Rachel didn't even break a sweat when she heard the Wedding March playing. She was _more_ than ready. She left behind that frightened woman when she hit the pillows last night.

Though her father was clearly nervous, for he was gripping her hand so tight that Rachel wondered if he was trying to break it.

She saw Nico's beautiful face, and he nearly took her breath away. His suit was stunning. _He_ was stunning. She couldn't remember anyone looking so breathtaking.

He smiled at her, trying to remember how to breathe. Oh gods, she looked so beautiful. Her dress clung to each curve; it was sparkling and it looked like flowing water. The long black slash running down the dress made him chuckle internally. It was _so_ Rachel.

His eyes flickered to the back pews, where his father was sitting, staring rather menacingly around the room. Evidently he didn't want to be there.

The father and son's eyes met, and Hades eyes softened. His son looked so happy. His eyes reminded him of his mortal love, Maria di Angelo. Hades thought maybe, just maybe, he would be able to live with the idea of his son marrying an annoying mortal girl like Rachel Elizabeth Dare.

Rachel and her father reached the alter, and Mr. Dare gave Nico his daughter's hand. Rachel sighed in contentment, and she grasped her husband-to-be's hand reassuringly.

The justice of the peace turned and walked up to the alter. His dashing white smile filled the room with sunshine. Of course. Who else but Apollo would marry the Ghost King and previous Oracle?

When the couple finally finished their vows with the traditional 'I do,' they gently pressed their lips together, having their first kiss as a married couple.

At the reception they smashed cake in each others' mouths, and after throwing the bouquet and garter and eating a lovely dinner of brisket and vegetables, they had their first dance.

"You never did tell me about the prophecy," Rachel whispered into Nico's ear as they revolved on the dance floor.

"What?" Nico questioned her, pulling back to look at her.

"The prophecy that I spewed before we confessed our feelings for each other. Before we kissed for the first time," she specified.

"Oh!" Nico exclaimed. "How could I ever forget _that _prophecy? I know it by heart."

Nico leaned his mouth close to her ear.

"_You and a mortal with great sight will confess the emotion._

_You will be confronted by the Delphi's lord, who will forgive or deceive the devotion._

_You will be judged by the god who gave you life, and can easily make you dead."_

Nico paused and stared over Rachel's head, remembering the last verse, recognizing it as the seal to their destiny.

_"And you will choose whether you shall be alone, or wed." Nico finished, turning his eyes back to hers. _

She gave him a watery, happy smile, and kissed him passionately. "I'm glad you chose this destiny."

"We chose it." Nico returned her kiss.

The rest of the reception passed in a blur of champagne, cake, and many other exotic foods that Mr. Dare insisted on buying.

Nico and Rachel had no idea about the gift Hades had in store for them.

"AHEM! Testing. Testing—one, two, three. Testing—death, mortality, demise." The lord of the dead tapped his finger on the microphone.

"Father, we can hear you just fine," Nico laughed, pulling Rachel close to his side.

"Ah, yes. Of course, son," Hades replied. "Hello, everyone. I hope you all are enjoying the reception. I just have one simple thing to say to the newly weds. Take this envelope." He hopped down from the stage, shoving an envelope at his daughter-in-law. "Goodnight, everyone." The crowd chuckled and continued their conversations.

"I'm almost afraid to open it," Rachel admitted, handing Nico the package. "You do it."

Nico rolled his eyes. "Did you always use to be a sappy? Or has married life done this to you?"

"I don't know. Does this seem sappy to you?" She playfully slapped Nico's arm, and he pretended to double over in pain.

"Gosh, Mrs. di Angelo! I think you might have permanently damaged a bone!"

"Just open the envelope, Nico," she said exasperated.

He ripped open the package with his index finger, and pulled out a large, cream-colored piece of paper. His eyes widened.

"Rachel, look at this," he whispered, handing it to her. It was a deed to a house in New York; and an expensive house, at that.

Rachel's mouth dropped open. Hades appeared from the shadows, causing Rachel to jump in fright.

"And the best part is, you don't have to worry about moving all of your belongings," Hades announced, snapping his fingers. "All of your stuff has been moved into your house. If you don't like the arrangement, you can move it around later." The lord of the dead handed Nico the blueprints and a couple of house keys.

"Whoa," Nico gasped, looking gratefully at Hades. "Thanks, Father."

"Yes, thank you lord Hades," Rachel beamed.

"Sure, sure, you're welcome, brats," the god muttered before slipping back into the shadows. "I'm leaving now. I'll check back on the two of you before you leave for your honeymoon." He faded into the darkness. The guests didn't appear to have noticed the exchange.

* * *

Rachel was lounging on the bed, watching a re-run of the Office. She was dressed in black, lacy lingerie covered in a silky robe. She heard the shower turn off, and her heart rate increased. But she was ready to begin her wedding night. Within a few moments, her husband walked out of the bathroom in black boxers. Apparently black was the new black.

He slipped into bed next to her, and ran his hand down her arm and across her waist. She shuddered, turned off the TV, and faced Nico.

He leaned his head down to hers and brushed his lips against hers. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and ran her fingers through his wet hair. He adjusted himself to where he was hovering above her, and he placed kisses on her neck, trailing down to her collarbone.

"Are you sure you're ready?" Nico whispered, pulling back to look at her face.

She was panting, trying to get her breath back. "Yes. I'm ready."

He slipped her robe off, expecting to see normal PJs, only to see lacy undergarments. This sure didn't seem like Rachel—but he wasn't going to complain. He moaned, kissing just below her naval, when her hands caressed his lower back.

With trembling fingers, Rachel brushed against the edge of his boxers, her blood pounding through her veins so powerfully she felt a bit light-headed. Nico noticed her shaking and gently grasped her fingers, bending down to kiss each and every finger with love, before staring into her bright green eyes.

"Rachel," he murmured, tucking a lock of her hair behind her ear while shifting his weight over her, "We don't have to do this, you know." His own breath was a bit shallow, and the nervous feeling deep within his fluttering stomach wasn't lessening, but increasing with her hesitation.

She noticed his anxious gaze, and her eyes immediately sharpened with determination. "No. There's no need to wait. I love you, Nico di Angelo." She roughly smashed her mouth against his, her hands threading and pulling not-so-gently at the strands of his short black hair. He groaned throatily in response, the nerves completely leaving his body and being replaced with a burning heat.

"And I love you, Rachel di Angelo. So, so much."

In an attempt to get closer to her, he moved a leg under one of hers, but slipped on the sheets. He partially collapsed on top of her, her breath leaving her body in a quick gasp; Nico clumsily lifted himself off her, muttering apologies and blushing profusely.

Hiding a smile, Rachel pressed on his back, lowered him down to her, and tangled herself with him. "You shouldn't have moved," she snuggled her nose into his neck, breathing deeply and relaxing her entire body into his. She felt his hands travel to the clasp of her bra and, after a bit of fumbling, he unfastened and removed the lace. Bit by bit and between kisses, undergarments began to slide off their bodies.

After their clothes fell in a heap on the floor, they finally came together in their final vow of love as a married couple.

With their heartwarming devotion, they had made their darkness turn bright.

* * *

**End of chapter notes: Sequel anyone (with more Rachel/Nico and doesn't Apollo need a happily ever after)? It's up to you all, if you want a sequel, just say the word. I know this story doesn't really live up to the M rating that much, but I already have a few chapters planned out for a sequel with more graphic content. Still fluffy, and not over-the-top graphic, but there's more content. This is, after all, my first love scene, and they're quite difficult. But anyway, thank you all for your patience, and let me know about a sequel! :)**

**(11/23/11)**

**/EDIT/: (6/6/13) I got rid of the author's note posted under Chapter 13 that explained my absence due to my studies, college, a bit of a lack in confidence in my writing skills, stress, AP and IB testing, etc. When I said the worst feeling was seeing the hits for my stories and not having time to finish them, I meant it. Due to many requests, I will be writing a sequel, but only after I get back on my feet and finish my other stories. I would also like to say that due to my tastes in writing, the M-rated content will be similar to this story because I don't feel comfortable writing explicitly. Please be patient with the sequel, and thank you all so much for your support! **


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